Breaking news- Sailing ship Arktika is getting a new name
We got great many answers to our poll about finding a new name for Arktika – our three alternatives Napa, Arktis and Pallas all got several votes. We also got great other suggestions, thank you so much for those! Probably the nicest thing about this poll was the overwhelming support for changing the name back to the original name Bør, meaning good sailing wind in Norwegian, and the stories and memories people sent us about sailing with her under this name.
The traditions about ship names vary: In many countries it is considered bad luck to change the name of a ship. In Iceland quite often the name is changed when the owner of the ship changes – the name follows the owner, not necessarily the ship. Finnish ship names are usually female, except for the names of work vessels, which tend to be male, and usually the names are not changed.
Sailign ship Bør in Harlingen in 2016. After this the ship has sailed under Icelandic flag and name Arktika, and is now starting the year 2021 with her new name, Byr.
The new name of our ship will be Byr.
We feel that this name respects the original name of the ship, as well as the time sailing under Icelandic flag. Byr is the Icelandic spelling for Bør, and close to the old Norse word Byrr, the original word for both Byr and Bør.
Byr is the Icelandic word for good sailing wind, and also a successful business can have a good Byr, a good drive. There are some great old sayings in Icelandic, like "Bíðendur eiga byr en bráðir andróða" meaning those who wait will get good sailing wind, but those who are too hasty will receive contrary winds. Another one is "Kóngur vill sigla en byr hlýtur að ráða", meaning that king wants to sail but the wind will still always decide. It is an important metaphor for the modern times as well, even the highest of authorities are second to the forces of the nature.
In Finnish this name will probably easily turn into “Pyry”, meaning a blizzard!
“King wants to sail but the wind will still always decide”